title: Effects of smoking abstinence on cigarette craving, nicotine withdrawal, and nicotine reinforcement in smokers with and without schizophrenia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Schizophrenia is associated with a high prevalence of cigarette smoking. The aims of this study were to compare smokers with schizophrenia (SS) and control smokers without psychiatric illness (CS) on (a) cigarette craving and nicotine withdrawal symptom severity during a 72-hr smoking abstinence period; (b) nicotine reinforcement, before and after abstinence; and (c) latency to smoking lapse following abstinence. We also explored mediators of smoking lapse in SS and CS.
  
  
  METHODS
  SS (n = 28) and CS (n = 27) underwent a nicotine versus denicotinized cigarette puff choice task before and after a 72-hr period of smoking abstinence that was experimentally controlled by providing cash reinforcement contingent on biochemical verification of abstinence. Twenty-four hours after the second choice task, participants could receive a low-value reinforcer if they had continued to abstain since the previous day. Those who remained abstinent were recontacted a week later to determine time of their smoking lapse.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SS reported more severe cigarette craving and nicotine withdrawal symptoms throughout the 72-hr abstinence period, had greater nicotine preference after abstinence, and lapsed back to smoking significantly sooner than CS. The relationship between group and smoking lapse latency was mediated by baseline depression and nicotine withdrawal symptom severity but not by effects of abstinence on craving or nicotine reinforcement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overall, these results indicate that negative affect is a key contributor to poor smoking cessation outcomes among those with schizophrenia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Brown University, Providence, RI.
authors.forename: Jennifer W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Tidey
authors.forename: Suzanne M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Colby
authors.forename: Emily M H
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Xavier
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology*; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000523:psychology*; D062789:Tobacco Products; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000523:psychology*